Duct rod



A1g11, 1931. E. R. HARR'ALL ET AL 1,818,951

DUCT ROD Filed June 24, 1930 Gttorueg eti) Patented Ang. 11, 1931 y i c1,818,951

s grat sries.

EDWIN R. HARRALL, OF ENGLEWGDD, AND ROBERT D. PABBGTT, OF W'ESTVNEWYORK, NEW JERSEY, .ASSGNORS TO THE WESTERN 'UNON TELEGRABH COMPANY, OFl.`L\l".E`\\' YORK, N. Y., .A CORPORATION GF NEV YORK 'i i DUCT RODApplication filed June 24,

rlhis invention relates to duct rods such of metal sections which may beassembled in any location without rotating the rod; the provision of arod having high abrasive resisting qualities, and which when bundled.,occupy less space than. Ythose heretofore eniloyed.

lVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists ingeneral of a novel sectional rod construction wherein the sections areof one piece metal construction.

The invention will now be described in detail in connection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical section through aman-hole and a portion of .a conduit and showing the manner otconnecting the sections; y

Figure' 2 vis a plan view. showing the stamped blanh from which a rodsection is made;

Figure 3 is a side elevation partly in section showing one. rod sectionand portions oi adjacent sections interlocled therewith; Figure 4; anAenlarged perspective viewr illustrating one step in the assembly ofadjacent rod sections; and y Figure 5 is a similar view illustrating asucceeding' step in the assembly. K

ln the construction of each section` a suit'- able length of bar orstrap metal of uniform width and thickness throughout is stamped orotherwise formed to provide a body 10. A.

notch 11 extends inwardly .trom one side edge e of the body in spacedrelation to an adjacent end. A second notch 12 extends inwardly from theopposite side edge but is located leso.

kjacent sections. manner Vot accomplishing the assembly in closer 'toYthe adjacent end than `the notch .11, e

rllhese notches are of such depth that the disstance laterallyV acrossthe bar or body between their bottom ends is equal to the thiolness ofthe body. By this means a species of Zhook 18 is formed at this end, theadjacent sides of the notches being rounded as at 14, as isalso the end15. lExtending longitudinally inward from the other end is a notch 16having parallel sides and a slot 17' of the same width is spacedlongitudinally inward from the bottom of the notch 16 a distanceslightly greater than the width of thebottom of the notch 11. A secondslot 18 is spaced longitudinally inward from the slot 17 at a distanceslightly less than the Vwidth oi the bottom oif the notch 12. The lengthof the slot 17 is slightly greaterfthan the distance longitudinallybetween the slots 11 and 12A and the length ot the slot 1S is slightlygreat-- er than the distance between the slot 12 and the adjacent end15. The body, after being thus stamped from the flat metal bar, is givenav 9() degree twist 19 at its center to cause the vends to lie in planespassing through the longtiudinal axis of the body and at right angles toeach other.

JEach section being alike, assembly is efected by approximating the hookend of one section to the slotted end of a second section with the twosections nearly at right angles and the hook end alined above the slot17. rlhis hook end is then pushed downwardly through slot 17 and thesection is rocked as shown in Figure 5 to cause thev end of the rZ- hookto engage in the slot 18 andthe body.

adjacent the slot 11 to engage in the notch 16. Thisoperation securelyconnectsthe ad- Figure 1 illustratesV the the restricted space aiiordedby the usual man-hole M. Y

The advantages possessed by the duct rods constructed in accordancewithour invention will now be appreciated. The end constructions areformed by a single punching operation Jfrom a flat metal bar and arebrought into a degree relation by a twist at the center. By thisconstruction each section coinbines two planes at right angles to eachother Y tures.

so that successive sections can be joined by one movement always made inthe same plane from any selected location. Due to the shape of the endconnections, dirt or gravel cannot lodge in the ends of the rods andprevent their being joined together freely. In addition, the smallcrossssection of the rod, in comparison With the conventional round rod,makes it easier to push through an obstruction clogging the ducts.`

e claim:

l. A sectional rod adapted to be threaded through underground conduits,comprising a plurality of like sections coupled end to end, each sectionconsisting of a flat metal bar having vthe opposite ends formed toprovide respectively a hook member and slots to receive the hook memberof another section, and said bar being twisted through 90 degreesintermediate its ends to thereby position said ends in planes at rightangles to each other.

2. A duct rod consisting of a series of separable interlocked sectionseach formed ofan integral metal bar twisted to cause its ends to lieinplanes at right angles to each other, said Ysections when in alinedinterlocking relation having a corresponding end of each in one' of saidplanes and the remaining ends in the 'other oflsai'd planes.

y whereof We afiiX our signa- EDWIN n. HARRALL. ROBERT D. PARROTT.

In testimo

